Heat exchanger or condenser support



March 15, 1949. K. R. s'nzmms 12,464,356

HEAT EXCHANGER OR CONDENSER SUPPORT Originai Filed Nov. 9, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR KENNETH R STEARNS w l ATTORNEY March 15, 1949.- K. R. STEARNS HEAT EXCHANGER OR CONDENSER SUPPORT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed NOV. 9, 1946 INVENTOR KENNETH R. STEARNS ATTORNEY nl l uhnl uhnl l u nuum 41 lllllllllllllllllllll a II l02||||| T.

March 15, 1949. i K. R. STEARNS 2,464,356

HEAT EXCHANGER OR CONDENSER SUPPORT Original Filed Nov. 9, 1946 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR KENNETH R STEARNS BY w. Fa, (LW;

ATTORNEY March 15, 1949. K. R. STEARNS 2,464,356'

HEAT EXCHANGER 0R CONDENSER SUPPORT Original Filed Nov 9, 1946 4 Sheets-She et 4 V ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 15, 1949 HEAT EXCHANGER OR CONDENSER SUPPORT Kenneth R. Stearns, Springfield, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application November 9, 1946, Serial No. 708,880. Divided and this application January 9, 1948, Serial No. 1,410

Claims.

. l The present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 708,880, filed November 9, 1946,

The invention relates to condenser or heat exchange apparatus and it has for its object to provide the shell of such apparatus supported from the foundation by web plates arranged to flex to accommodate for expansion and contraction of the shell to avoid any substantial loading of the foundation on account thereof.

The foregoing and other objects are effected by the invention as will be apparent from the following description and'claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the unitary power plant;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a section along the line IIIIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the plant as viewed from the turbine end; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line VV of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, there is shown a unitary power plant comprising a horizontal condenser aggregate, at Ill, including a condenser H and flange girder structures i2 unitary with the latter at the sides thereof. The aggregate carries the axiallyaligned turbine l4 and generator l5 thereabove and its side girder structures are supported by foundation piers It. The turbine has an exhaust nozzle H from which exhaust steam flows through the inlet opening l8 into the condenser.

The condenser shell includes a concave bottom wall 2|, vertical side walls 22, a horizontal top wall 23, and end walls 24. The top wall 23 is provided with said inlet openin l8.

The flange or girder structures l2 include lower flanges 25 and Web portions, comprised by the adjacent side walls 22. For the length of the turbine, the girder structures are of braced channel form, the top plate overhanging and bein joined to the side wall webs [9 -to provide upper flanges 26; and, for the length of the generator, the girder structures are of angle form, defined by the webs 22 and the lower flanges 25 and are reinforced by structures forming the generator air cooling passages, such structures comprising lower, upper, and end plates 28, 29 and 30, respectively, strut plates 3| supporting the lower plates 28 on the lower flanges 25', the duct-dividin plates 32 stiffening the lower plates 28 to function as stifiened elements of the side condenser girders, and the end plates joining the upper and lower plates.

The generator is supported above the condenser on the top plates 29 and the load of the latter is transmitted through columns 33 whose upper r-nds are connected to the upper plates and whose lower ends are connected to the stiffened lower plates forming components of the condenser integral side girders. As the columns are free to flex laterally and as the rectangular structures formed by the plates 28, 29 and 30 are not stifiened diagonally, such structures are capable ofdeformation to the extent required to accommo-. date for relative expansion and contraction of the generator, turbine and condenser, the upper plates 29 remaining fixed relative to the generator vand moving relative to the lower plates 28 to the extent required for such accommodation and the columns 33 carrying the weight of the generator directly on the condenser side girder plates 28.

The exhaust end of the turbine casing is carried by columns 34 whose lower ends bear on and are connected to the girder structures and whose upper ends carry and are connected to the turbine casing. The inlet end of the turbine casing has feet 35 which bear on-abutments 36 carried by the bearing pedestal 31. The turbine casing is connected to the bearing pedestal by the vertically flexible tie plate 38 and the pedestal is supported from the condenser by plates 39 and 40 extending in planes normal to the turbine axis and are therefore arranged to provide axial flexibility,

The exhaust end of the turbine is held by the columns 34 and by the expansion joint, at 42, connecting the turbine exhaust nozzle H to the condenser, the expansion joint including a diaphragm 23 ex ending in a horzontal plane parallel to the turb ne axis, the diaphragm providing flexibility in the direction of length of the nozzle and stiffness against lateral movement of the latter. While the columns carry the weight of the turbine, flex to accommodate radial expansion, and

take the turbine reaction torque, the horizontal stiffness of the diaphragm opposes axial and lateral movements of the exhaust end of the turbine. At the inlet end, the plates 39 and 40 confine the turbine axis against transverse movement so that it is held vertically and horizontally while flexibility thereof provides for expansion and contraction axially. v

In service, the condenser may be subject to unusual temperature conditions. as would be the case when starting before the vacuum is built up or when running noncondensing in the event of loss of vacuum. Under these unusual conditions, the condenser temperature may be of the order of 212 F. or more and the increase from normal temperature would cause the condenser and girder structures to expand. Therefore, the girder structures are supported by means accommodating for expansion while avoiding transverse and lengthwise displacements of the structure as well as loading of the foundation on account thereof to any substantial extent. This result is secured, for example, by plates 44 connected at their upper ends to the girder structures I2, at their lower ends to the foundation piers l6, and having their webs arranged normal to radii from a suitable vertical axis of the condenser and girder structure and which are, therefore, flexible in the direction of such radii. While the vertical axis may be at any suitable place within the projection of the condenser bounded by the supporting plates, it is shown in the vertical plane of the condenser center line and of the turbine axis and, more particularly, at the center of the exhaust inlet.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have devised a unitary power plant comprising a condenser aggregate carrying a turbine and an aligned generator driven thereby and comprising a condenser and unitary side girders and wherein the latter aresupported from the foundation in such manner and the turbine and generator are carried by the condenser aggregate so that expansion and contraction of the aggregate may take place without any effort being exerted on either the turbine or the generator, with the result that expansion, incident to going from condehsing to noncondensing operation or when starting up, and contraction, incident to going from non-condensing to condensing operation, may take place without disturbing either the turbine or the generator. As the vertical plates supporting the side girders from the foundation are arranged normally with respect to radii from a common center, such plates restrict movement of the condenser aggregate to directions which are radial to the common center, in consequence of which the aggregate may expand and contract longitudinally and transversely without movement thereof bodily, whereby, with the vertical columns carrying the generator and the turbine capable of lateral flexibility and the plates 39 and 40 capable of axial flexibility, transverse and longitud'nal expansion and contraction of the aggregate may take place without disturbing either the turbine or the generator. The elastic plates 44 protect both the condenser and the foundation from the very large horizontal loads radial to the center of support which would result from an attempt to oppose the thermal expansion of the condenser by rigid supports. Therefore, these plates operate to avoid the manufacturing cost, operating uncertainty and maintenance, of lubricated slides, which would otherwise have to be used.

While I-have shown the invention in but one 4 form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a horizontal shell subject to wide temperature changes producing expansion and contraction thereof; said shell including flange constructions at opposite sides thereof; and vertical plates having their upper ends supporting the flange constructions and connected to the latter, their lower ends arranged for attachment to the foundation and their webs arranged normally with respect to radii to a common vertical axis falling within the vertical projection of the shell between the flange constructions.

2. A horizontal surface condenser comprising a shell provided with supporting flange constructions at opposite sides thereof; and vertical web plates having their upper ends supporting the flange constructions and connected to the latter. their lower ends arranged for attachment to the foundation and their webs normal to radii to a vertical axis in the vertical plane of the centerline of the condenser.

3. A horizontal surface condenser comprising a shell provided with flange constructions at opposite sides thereof; said shell having an exhaust inlet opening at its top; and vertical plates having their upper ends supporting the flange constructions and arranged for attachment to the latter, their lower ends connected to the foundation and their webs normal to radii to the vertical axis of the center of said inlet opening.

4. A horizontal surface condenser including a shell provided with girder structures unitary therewith at opposite sides thereof; said shell including a curved bottom wall, vertical side walls, and a horizontal top wall; said girder structures each including upper and lower flanges joined by a side wall with the lower flange joined to the adjacent edges of the bottom and side walls and the upper flange being formed by an overhanging portion of the top wall; and vertical plates having their upper ends supporting the -girder structures and connected to the latter,

their lower ends arranged for attachment to the foundation and. having their webs. extending in planes normal to radii from a vertical axis in the v vertical plane of the centerline of the condenser.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the top wall has an exhaust inlet opening whose vertical axis is in the vertical plane of the centerline of the condenser and is the axis of radii normal to the plate webs.

KENNETH R. STEARNS.

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bancel Nov. 3, 1931 Number 

